In Mesoamerican mythology, coyotes are symbols of military might. It was believed that the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl originated from a pre-Aztec coyote deity. However, the Coyoacán was named by the Aztecs with the Nahuatl word for “place of coyotes” as coyotes used to roam in the area. The place served as the headquarters of Hernán Cortés during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire and made it the first capital of New Spain from 1521 to 1523.
Month: April 2016
Alameda Central
I continued my tour at the Historic Center of Mexico City, designated as a World Heritage Site in 1987. My last destination on that day was the Alameda Central. Alameda was named after the álamo (poplars) trees surrounding the public municipal park which was created in 1592 through the orders of Viceroy Luis de Velasco.
Templo Mayor
Built on a muddy island on the lake at the Valley of Mexico in 1325, the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán was occupied and destroyed by the Spanish forces in 1521 led by Hernán Cortés. The area became the foundation of the modern Mexico City. The site of the Templo Mayor or the Great Temple was discovered in 1978 and has became part of Mexico City’s Historic Center which was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1987.
The Historical Zócalo Square
The Historic Center or Centro Histórico lies at the central neighborhood of Mexico City. This includes the Zócalo or the main plaza and extends in all directions covering a total of about 4 hectares. The Historic Center has been both the center of the ancient Aztec Empire known as Tenochtitlan and the seat of power for the Spanish colony of New Spain. Most of the city’s historic sites from both eras can be seen in this part of Mexico City with 1,550 buildings declared as historically important. It was therefore recognized as a World Heritage Site because of the area’s cultural and historical value.
A Night At Garibaldi
Plaza Garibaldi is a famous square located at the historic centre of Mexico City named after the Italian revolutionary Guiseppe ‘Jose’ Garibaldi II who played an important role in the Mexican revolution during the early 20th century. The plaza is now known as the home of Mariachi music. Mariachi musicians roam the plaza serenading customers and soliciting gigs.
The 7-Day Nature Photo Challenge
I think almost everyone of us with social network accounts have received menacing chain messages telling us that we will have an eternal bad luck or burn in hell if we do not spread the message to other people by either private messages or by posting it on our accounts’ wall. This was however not the case with the challenge I received recently through my Facebook account. The challenge is that to post pictures of nature for a week on the FB wall and nominating other people to do the same. It is much like the ice bucket challenge without the ice, the bucket and the money donations (lol!). Actually, I was already invited to do this challenge five times and this is the only time that I gave in to the challenge.
Isamu Noguchi’s Black Sun
Most famous for the iconic Noguchi table, Isamu Noguchi also made the monumental sculpture entitled “Black Sun” in 1969. It is now located at the Volunteer Park in Seattle, Washington, particularly at the eastern edge of the park’s man-made reservoir. Carving was done in Mure, Japan from a single 30-ton block of stone quarried from a Tijuca formation in Brazil producing the polished torus-shaped sculpture measuring 9 ft in diameter and 12 tons in weight.
A Glimpse Of Frida Kahlo
La Casa Asul (Blue House) in Coyoacán was where Kahlo spent her lifetime since her birth in 1907. Frida got married to another Mexican art icon Diego Rivera and they lived in the same house from 1929 until Frida died in 1954. Diego eventually died in 1957 and the La Casa Azul has served as Museo Frida Kahlo since 1958.
Trajineras Of Xochimilco
Located 28 km south of Mexico City, Xochimilco is a former independent city established during the pre-Hispanic period. These early settlements at the Valley of Mexico were connected by an extensive lake and canal system. The settlers built artificial islands called “chinampas” or floating garden where flowers, fruits and vegetables were being raised. The canals were constructed as a navigation route for the “chinampas” which help feed the Aztec empire. The importance of Xochimilco to the Aztecs has made it worthy of its designation as a World Heritage Site in 1987.
Ciudad Universitaria Of Mexico City
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico) or UNAM was founded in 1910 and has been recognized as a leading Spanish-speaking university in the world. It also has the most number of Nobel Prize laureates among its alumni and faculty in all the universities in Latin America with Alfonso García Robles for peace, Octavio Paz for literature and Mario Molina for chemistry. Most of the old buildings that the university are using came from its predecessor, the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico which was established in 1551 and closed in 1867.
¡HOLA! México
Mexico City is the capital of Mexico located in the Valley of Mexico and is considered the oldest capital city in the Americas being founded by the American Indians.
Amoj In Wanderland 